


Yuletide

by Hisa_Ai



Series: 31 Days of Christmas [21]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: 31 Days of fic, Angst, Christmas, Christmas prompts, Day 21, Fluff and Angst, Giving, M/M, Prompt Fic, Yule, Yuletide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-21
Updated: 2013-12-21
Packaged: 2018-01-05 13:03:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1094174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hisa_Ai/pseuds/Hisa_Ai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first day of Yuletide means feasts and presents, but when Arthur gives Merlin an unexpected gift and Merlin has nothing to give him in return, what will he do? What will he give his prince for Yule?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Yuletide

* * *

  

The first day of Yuletide was met with a grand feast, and gift-giving among loved ones and royalty—the Yule log and the traditions associated with what came after it was burned, Uther had decided, was too close to sorcery to be upheld anymore—that kept most of the kingdom up into the late hours of the night. And since it happened to be the longest night of the year, it was met with even more cheer and drink, as the longest night most often meant one of the coldest night to some of them.

When the feast finally came to an end and Arthur managed to pull himself away from the knights and trudged up into his room with Merlin close at his side—remarkably, he hadn't gotten quite as drunk as he usually did, largely thanks to Merlin not actually filling his cup all the way up as he would usually have him do—he was in surprisingly good spirits. Holidays always did seem to do that to him, Merlin grinned as he closed the door behind him and quickly moved about, readying everything for his prince to climb into bed.

When he had the sheets pulled back and went to help Arthur into his nightclothes, he turned and found him still standing there in his feast clothing, the only thing setting out against his pressed and prat-like princely attire and revealing the Arthur Merlin knew too well being his bright eyes and the look on his face that told Merlin he was thinking much too much about something or another.

"Ready for bed, sire?" Merlin asked cheekily, gesturing at the cape he was still wearing. His high spirits on holidays usually meant a bit of back-and-forth before the prince actually climbed into bed, but this night, something seemed  _off_.

"Yule used to be hard, you know," Arthur sighed instead of retorting.

Merlin frowned, watching as he walked over to one of his windows. He had been in such good spirits just a moment ago, and he wasn't quite drunk enough to have such mind-alerting mood-swings, Merlin knew well enough. So what was it that had upset him so much?

"Growing up, I mean…" he sighed again, watching as snow lightly fell from the sky, the clouds beautiful and intoxicating on their own. Merlin came up behind him, careful to keep his distance but be near enough that Arthur knew he was there. It was always a delicate balance when it came to Arthur and their relationship. Always so hard to read the situation and what he wanted, needed from him.

"Sire?" Merlin asked, unsure of what else to say when Arthur fell silent, watching the snow slowly blanket the courtyard and everything else in sight.

"My father used to talk about my mother a lot around this time—it was her favorite time of year. She loved all the—the snow and decorations and the feasts and the people and the log—God, he used to talk about how she loved the burning of the Yule Log." He shook his head, still watching the snow.

Merlin nodded thoughtfully, allowing his thoughts to click into place before, "So that's why he doesn't allow the Yule log to be burned anymore, not because it's too close to witchcraft, but because if reminds him too much of her."

"Yes." Arthur nodded.

Merlin walked slowly to his side, looked at him sideways, at his eyes, glazed over with thought and the ghost of a past he never had. He had never thought about it before—about Arthur missing a mother he never knew, about Uther talking about her, about Arthur getting to know her only through stories and memories offered to him by a father who rarely touched upon such emotional subjects. Merlin's own mother didn't talk about his father any more often than Uther talked about Ygraine, he was sure, so he supposed he understood the longing, the pain Arthur must have felt…

He had just never thought of it before.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, because he had nothing else  _to_  say.

Arthur shook his head, let his eyes come to Merlin at last. "I shouldn't… It's nothing, nevermind." He swallowed in the way that Merlin knew meant he was swallowing his troubles, trying to brush away his thoughts and problems, trying not to let himself become upset over the simplest of things.

"It's no problem, really. Longer you talk the less work I have to do," he joked. Arthur lit up with half a smile, clapped his hand on Merlin's shoulder as he brushed past him.

"If that's your excuse then maybe I should stop talking altogether—you might actually get something done around here." He walked to his wardrobe, opened it up and rummaged around in it for a moment as Merlin stood and watched him, arms crossed against his chest.

"Wouldn't count on it; you never do know when to shut your mouth."

"And  _you_  do?"

"Fair point." Arthur looked back over his shoulder and half-laughed with him, rolled his eyes before he turned his attention back to whatever it was he was doing. Eyebrow raised with curiosity, Merlin walked towards him, angling his head as he tried to see what he was doing.

"Lost something?" he asked.

"Mmm, nope, just looking for—aha." Arthur yanked something out of his wardrobe, his hands quick as he tugged whatever it was out and shut the door quickly, a shy sort of smile on his face as he turned around to face Merlin.

"What's that?" Merlin asked, itching with curiosity.

"It's the first day of Yuletide,  _Mer_ lin." Arthur rolled his eyes, as though that explained  _everything_.

"And?" Merlin asked, gesturing widely in slight frustration for him to elaborate. Arthur had been so vulnerable just a moment ago, how was he now back to his usual, irritating self? And so quickly at that.

" _And_ , on the first day of Yuletide one is expected to give gifts to people important to you, so… happy Yule, you clotpole." He held the package out to him, gave a sort of half shake of his head. Merlin swallowed, reached out to take it and looked back to Arthur's eyes. He wasn't used to… Arthur wasn't exactly one to… Well,  _Princes_ did not give Yuletide gifts to  _servants_. But Arthur was different, wasn't he? He always was. Merlin should have expected as much.

"I haven't got anything for you," he admitted, feeling guilty as he turned the gift over in his hands. Arthur had gone to the trouble to open up to him, to get him something, and he had nothing to give in return. Maybe he was the clotpole.

"It doesn't matter, Merlin. I didn't expect you to. Probably would have died of shock if you had, to be honest," he grinned. Merlin bit his lip, chewed over the situation for a moment. He had nothing— _nothing_ —to give Arthur in return for the gift he held in his hand, but maybe he could—

Smiling slyly, Merlin took a step forward. Arthur was either going to sack him for what he was about to do or thank him, but either way…

He brought his free hand up, cupped Arthur's face, leaned forward and brushed his lips against his softly enough to get his intention across, quick enough to give him ample time after to react appropriately.

"Happy Yule, Arthur. Not dead, are you?" he asked cheekily. Arthur let out an odd sound, something between a groan and a chuckle as he shook his head, grabbed Merlin and kissed him again, lingering and sweet this time, with no hesitation, no fear.

"Happy Yule, Merlin." He sighed, pulling away slowly.

Unable to resist, Merlin kissed him again, his hands making quick work of his clothing. It  _was_  the season of giving, after all.

 

* * *

 

 

 


End file.
